CBSE Class 11 English Chapter 4: Telephone Conversation NCERT Solutions

Solution:

rancid breath: This phrase describes a voice that is unpleasant, offensive, or disagreeable, suggesting a negative and unwelcoming tone.

squelching tar: This expression evokes a sense of something heavy, dark, and compressed, like thick tar. It is used metaphorically to describe the poet's complexion, implying a deep, dark color.

spectroscopic flight of fancy: This refers to the landlady's mind rapidly generating various interpretations and assumptions about the poet based on his race. The word 'spectroscopic' suggests a wide, dispersed range of thoughts, like light split into colors, while 'flight of fancy' indicates imaginative, perhaps unfounded, ideas.

rearing on the thunderclap: This phrase suggests something that happens suddenly and with great force, like the loud, unexpected sound of thunder. It implies a dramatic and startling reaction.

brunette: This term describes someone with dark brown hair, and often implies dark eyes and a darker complexion.

peroxide blonde: This refers to hair that has been bleached to a very light, often unnatural, blonde color using peroxide. In the poem, it might be used ironically or to contrast with the expected appearance of the poet.

clinical assent: This describes an agreement or acceptance that is delivered in a detached, objective, and perhaps unemotional manner, like a doctor giving a diagnosis. It suggests a response based on observation rather than personal feeling.

raven black: This is a common metaphor used to describe a very deep, intense black color, like the feathers of a raven. It is often used to describe dark hair or skin.

Solution: The central issue of the poem revolves around the pervasive nature of racism and prejudice in society. It highlights the irony that when someone is seeking basic necessities like housing, the primary concern becomes their skin color rather than practical matters such as rent or amenities. The poem critiques the shallow and discriminatory attitude of the landlady, who judges the poet based on his race, forcing him to confront his identity in a way that evokes a sense of apology for something he cannot change.

Solution: The intervals of silence in the conversation are significant and stem from several factors. Primarily, they highlight the landlady's growing discomfort and realization of her own ignorance and inferiority upon learning the poet's race. She is taken aback and perhaps ashamed of her prejudiced assumptions. These silences also underscore the impact of the revelation of the poet's African identity, creating a tense atmosphere. The pauses allow the underlying racism and the poet's subtle, intellectual responses to resonate, adding a layer of subtle humor to the critique of the landlady's shallow perspective.

Solution: Color is prominently highlighted in the poem to underscore the theme of racial prejudice. The landlady's questions and the poet's responses repeatedly bring attention to skin color, demonstrating how it becomes the primary, and often sole, criterion for judgment. The poem uses color to represent racial identity and the societal biases associated with it. The poet uses colors like red (associated with everyday objects like the telephone booth and bus) to normalize his presence, contrasting with the landlady's fixation on his 'dark' complexion. The intention is to expose the absurdity and harm of judging individuals based on superficial physical attributes.

Words in the poem that suggest color include: Red, Black, Gold, milk chocolate, brunette, blonde, West African Sepia.

Solution: The lines that might impress a reader the most could be subjective, but the phrase 'West African Sepia' is particularly striking. This phrase serves as a sophisticated and subtly humorous response from the poet to the landlady's persistent inquiries about his color. It showcases the poet's intellectual prowess and his ability to handle prejudiced questioning with dignity and wit. By using such a specific and descriptive term, the poet subtly challenges the landlady's simplistic and racist categorization, emphasizing that identity is complex and should not be reduced to a single color.

Solution: The expression 'hide-and-speak' is a clever wordplay that contrasts with 'hide-and-seek'. While 'hide-and-seek' is a game, 'hide-and-speak' in the context of the poem suggests the underlying societal taboo and discomfort surrounding dark-skinned people. It implies that their identity or presence might be something that people prefer to 'hide' or avoid acknowledging openly, yet they are forced to 'speak' about it, often with prejudice or ignorance. It highlights the awkwardness and prejudice faced by those whose skin color deviates from the perceived norm.